Sift through soil and learn about why it's important for organic processes. After discussing what makes up soil, such as the living organisms and what types of soil have more nutrients, kids sample layers of mulch and deeper soil to...

All soil is not created equal! A lab activity asks learners to collect and analyze soil. Specific calculations determine the amount of sand, silt, and clay in a sample and allow individuals to identify the soil texture. 

Ready to roll up those sleeves and get your hands dirty? Dirty with soil science content, that is! Overcome those "But it's just dirt" objections with a trip outside to collect soil samples for some in-class analysis. Use the...

Teach your class the descriptive characteristics of soil. Provide information about particle size and a flow chart for assessing texture. Soil scientists then analyze samples and hypothesize which would be the best type for a rain...

Using an auger, start-up soil scientists bore a core of soil. They examine the sample and record the temperature at three depths in the borehole. This is an attractive activity sheet that succinctly guides your earth science class...

Do great gardeners really have green thumbs—or just really great soil? Environmental scholars discover what makes Earth's soil and soil quality so important through research and experimentation. Learners also develop an understanding of...

Class members analyze the water content in soil samples by drying out the samples and taking measurements every minute until all the moisture is gone. Scholars compare the initial weight to the dried weight to calculate the percentage of...

What's in soil? Young scientists study the pH levels of soil from their school yard. They observe the land and area the soil came from to decide if location has anything to do with acidity level.

Soil scientists gain experience with an infiltrometer can to determine the infiltration rates at different locations on campus. If you are using the entire unit, the class has already analyzed water flow and soil types, so they should...

Groups of three scientists from the rocky planet Zog investigate the composition of soil so that they can take the information back to their home, create soil there, and begin to grow food.

Worms are the kings of the decomposers. A four-part lesson has learners experiment with the characteristics of earthworms and their sensitivities. They vary factors such as light, acidity, temperature, and touch of soil and observe the...

Young scientists conduct a series of experiments to determine what type of soils produce the best results in roof-top gardens.

Through a PowerPoint presentation and the embedded animation and video, earth science enthusiasts find out about the moisture in the soil beneath our feet. In the animation, follow a water molecule on its path through the water cycle. As...

Seventy thousand different types of soil exist in the United States alone. Young scientists learn about the importance of soil to the food supply. They test soil for a variety of factors and determine the best place to set up a community...

It takes a strong foundation to build a house and a stronger one for a bridge. This resource presents the effects of geology and soil on bridge foundations. Working in groups, the class investigates the interaction of shallow and deep...

Organic or mineral? How does the matter matter? Second graders use their knowledge of the rock cycle to label the different components in garden soil.

It is not a barrel of monkeys—it's a jar of worms! Scholars create a worm farm in a spaghetti sauce jar. Pupils layer moist soil, sand, and oatmeal to create a habitat for worms. Individuals place worms into the habitat, cover it with...

Two sensory tables—wet and dry—allow scholars to use their sense of sight, touch, and smell to observe the changes when the dirt mixes with water. A short video relates the STEM learning experience to a fun video clip where Curious...

Get your hands dirty with an interactive lesson that showcases the process of decomposing and returning nutrients back into the soil. After building a compost pile, pupils regularly observe the...

Fertilizer can mean the difference between a profit and a loss. Scholars use an online interactive to explore the effects of fertilizing in agriculture. Given information about the nitrogen levels in the soil, they decide the fertilizer...

Simulate soil sample assemblages. Individuals create soil layers in a cup. They then use straws to collect core samples from these layers. What information can they glean from the core samples, I wonder?

Compare heating and cooling rates of different land forms. A lab activity has groups collect data on the rate of heating and cooling of soil, grass, saltwater, fresh water, and sand. An analysis of the rates shows how the different land...

You've heard of farm to table ... but what about farm in classroom? Junior agriculturalists embark upon a two-week journey into the science of growing things. Based upon the classic terrarium in a two-liter experiment, the lesson goes...

Over the course of 10 days, young scientists observe their cups of seed and soil—one that gets sun and water and one that gets no sun and only water. Then they reflect on the results of the experiment to determine if their hypothesis was...